Music that's romantic and jazzy.

Marthanne Verbit comments: "We are now such a long way from the optimism, excitement, intellectual ferment and urge to experiment prevalent at the outset of the nineteenth century that it is difficult to believe all this really existed. The various movements that flourished during this era - impressionism, expressionism, futurism, cubism and neo-classicism, to name just a few - brought about a flood tide of music for the piano, this as diverse as the "movements" that inspired it. Perhaps at this point, we can listen with fresh ears to two of these earliest trend-setters, Cyril Scott and Leo Ornstein."

Review:

"...Pianist Marthanne Verbit explores two fascinating byways of twentieth-century music history - Scott's peculiar British impressionism, flavored at a very early stage by rhythmic exotica and harmonic peculiarities; and Ornstein's momentarily infamous dissonant showpieces....As mentioned, Verbit's notes are superb; while making her fondness for the music clear, she does not exaggerate its importance - which in the final scheme of things may not be great. Collectors of early-twentieth-century bizarreries, however, will share her enthusiasm." (Fanfare)